Autumn in the North: a home without walls where layout shapes connection

In Autumn in the North, Susanna Cots transfers her characteristic language — rooted in calm, light, and spatial continuity — into a different geographical and emotional context. In this project, the intervention seeks to create an inner refuge for a couple of architects with children, capable of engaging in dialogue with the intensity of the surrounding landscape.

Susanna asks: “Why build walls and close spaces when what you seek is connection?” Her response here is a fluid sequence of rooms where boundaries dissolve. Gentle transitions replace rigid compartmentalisation, encouraging a continuous reading of the domestic space. The shared areas are conceived as a single interior landscape in which kitchen, dining, and living spaces share the same atmosphere, shaped by the constant presence of natural light.

“The kitchen emerges as a space that distributes the rest of the rooms in symmetrical degrees, like a fan that gathers and disperses intimacy and communication,” explains the interior designer, who creates modules open on both sides of the kitchen. An original solution that allows for dual circulation, both inside and around the space.

Material becomes the primary tool in shaping the spatial narrative. Light woods, warm textiles, and mineral surfaces compose a palette that evokes the organic without slipping into the rustic. The chromatic neutrality responds to the need to amplify light and generate a sustained sense of calm.

The relationship with the exterior is conceived through contemplation rather than radical openness. Large openings frame the landscape, allowing nature to enter the interior without disrupting the feeling of shelter. In addition, each space incorporates a tree as a living connection to nature: an olive tree and a Japanese willow are among those that accompany the family.

In the more private realm, the bedrooms adopt the same narrative. Transitions between rest, bathroom, and dressing areas are resolved through continuous solutions, where architecture is perceived more as atmosphere than structure. The space is organised to accompany the body, avoiding unnecessary formal gestures. One of the few rooms with a door is the children’s bedroom — a space designed to evolve with their age and their growing need for privacy.

This project can be understood as an exploration of interiority. More than a stylistic exercise, Autumn in the North proposes a way of inhabiting in which design acts as a mediator between landscape and everyday life. Susanna Cots constructs an interior that dialogues with its surroundings, welcoming them with serenity and transforming the home into a space of pause and permanence.

Materials and furniture

Aluminium frames: Cortizo. Sliding doors: Klein. Flooring: Quick-Step. Appliances: NEFF, Bora. Taps: GROHE, Neve and Gessi. Basins: Bathco. Shower enclosure: Lasser. Electrical systems: Jung. Ventilation: Siber. Art: Blacklist Studio.
Furniture: IKEA, Ethnicraft, Andreu World, Ferm Living and Hay. Lighting: Secto Design, Simon Electric, Karman Italia, Marset, Vibia and Artemide. Accessories and décor: Zara Home, Dareels, The Eleven House and Maison de Vacances.

Project: Autumn in the North.
Location: España.
Area: 250 m².
Completed: 2022.
Author: Susanna Cots Interior Design.
Floral styling: Mireia Abras Estudio.
Photography: Mauricio Fuertes.

Susanna Cots

Few interior designers in Spain have developed such a distinctive and coherent language as Susanna Cots. Her work—shaped by a deep connection to nature and emotional wellbeing—unfolds from her studio in the serene landscape of the Empordà region, infusing each project with a sense of clarity, balance and quiet beauty. Her approach has garnered recognition both nationally and internationally for its aesthetic sensitivity and conceptual depth.

Cots’ trajectory is defined by a pursuit of equilibrium. A balance between light and shadow, fullness and emptiness, geometry and emotion. Her spaces are invitations to stillness and introspection, where daily life becomes a meditative experience. Natural light, noble materials and organic forms weave a narrative centered on wellbeing, honesty and essential beauty.

Her vision goes beyond decoration: it is a way of inhabiting. Each project is an invitation to reconnect with what matters, to strip away the unnecessary, and to embrace the harmony of simplicity. From private homes to boutique hotels and commercial spaces, Susanna Cots has cultivated a timeless aesthetic—one that speaks directly to the soul.

Behind the calm that defines her interiors lies rigorous work, a deep attention to detail, and a finely tuned intuition that reads each space with empathy. Because for Susanna Cots, to design is, above all, an act of care.

Project by Susanna Cots